


Apologies

by themortaltrash



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M, bc no one ever said what happened to Max, takes place during 2x08: Love is a Devil, where did he go??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 08:42:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13830564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themortaltrash/pseuds/themortaltrash
Summary: “I’m sorry,” Max blurted out suddenly. He was staring intently at the cement floor of the balcony, praying that it would open up and swallow him whole so he wouldn’t have to finish what he’d so stupidly started.—or, Max apologizes to Magnus for what he said at his rune ceremony party.





	Apologies

“We need to get Max out of here,” Alec was saying lowly to Magnus as though Max wasn’t standing a mere five feet from them.

Magnus nodded in agreement. “Especially if the warlock behind this is still in my apartment. It could turn into a fight.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Max butted in, annoyed that he once again was being sent away from the important stuff. “I want to stay and help.”

Alec huffed in exasperation. “Max, it’s too dangerous. We don’t even know who it is. You need to go back to the Institute.”

It was completely unfair. Max had the highest scores in his class and he had passed all his simulations with flying colors. He even beat a couple of Isabelle’s records.

He told Alec as much.

“Yes, Max, I _know_.” Alec’s voice was getting higher in pitch, and Max could tell that he was getting angry. “But this is different, okay? We’re sending you back to the Institute with Mom and that’s the end of it.”

Max pursed his lips and wanted so badly to fight back, to say that Alec was wrong and that he _was_  ready for this, no matter what they thought. But he saw a look in Alec’s eyes that made him hesitate. If Max didn’t know any better, he would have thought that his brother looked almost _scared_.

He knew that there was no way Alec was going to budge.“Yeah, okay,” he said glumly.

Alec sighed in relief. “Okay, good. I’m going to go get Mom and then Magnus is going to portal you guys back to the Institute.”

Max had almost forgotten that Magnus was in the room until Alec mentioned him. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable as he watched his brother walk back into the apartment, leaving Max on the balcony with his warlock boyfriend who he had been mean to less than an hour ago.

He purposely didn’t look over at Magnus as he went to sit on the concrete bench. He felt bad for what he said; but he couldn’t lie to himself and say that he didn’t know why he said it. Because he did. It was because his Mom and Dad were always fighting and he secretly kind of thought it was maybe Magnus’ fault. If he and Alec weren’t together then maybe his parents wouldn’t be fighting so much.

But that wasn’t fair to Magnus or Alec. Max had never seen his brother look as happy as he had been over the past month. He joked around a lot more, he wasn’t as bossy, and he acted a lot more confident. Alec had always taken care of Jace, Isabelle, and him, and he was glad to see that there was finally someone to take care of Alec.

“I’m sorry,” Max blurted out suddenly. He was staring intently at the cement floor of the balcony, praying that it would open up and swallow him whole so he wouldn’t have to finish what he’d so stupidly started.

Magnus froze and he asked, shocked, “Whatever for? I hardly think any of this is your fault.”

Max could hardly bring himself to say it out loud. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. Magnus had been nothing but nice to him; he’d bought Max a gift and threw him this huge, amazing party, and then Max had turned around and insulted him in the worst way.

“For what I said. I didn’t mean it.” He hoped Magnus knew what he meant — the thought of repeating his earlier comments made his stomach churn uneasily.

Max looked tentatively up at him, expecting him to be angry — to yell at him and tell him how ungrateful he was — but he wasn’t. Magnus’ eyes were a little glassy but there was a small smile on his lips. He let out a shaky breath and came over to Max, squatting in front of him to match his height. He took both of Max’s hands and looked him directly in his eyes. “Max, it’s okay,” he said, and Max knew that he wasn’t just saying that to make him feel better.

Magnus was silent for a long moment, obviously debating with himself, as his thumbs absentmindedly rubbed gentle circles into the tops of Max’s hands. “Your brother tells me that your parents have been fighting about us. Is that true?” he asked quietly.

Max nodded.

Magnus nodded, too, and he looked sad. “Do you think you said those things because of that? Because you don’t want to hear them argue about us anymore?”

Another nod. Max stared down at their interlocked hands and his eyes burned with unshed tears, but he blinked them away quickly before they could fall. “Thank you for doing all of this for me,” he said brokenly, his throat too tight to speak much above a whisper.

Magnus felt his heart break. He knew Shadowhunters weren’t keen on hugs, but Max seemed like he could really use one. This was supposed to be his night, after all, and it had been ruined. “You’re more than welcome, Max. Your brother means a great deal to me, and that means that you do, too. So how about we make a deal?”

Max looked up at Magnus, his interest piqued. “What kind of a deal?” He asked.

Magnus smiled at him and released his hands. “You give me a hug, and we’ll forget this whole night happened, how about that?”

Max looked confused. “A hug?”

“Only if you want to!” Magnus said, a bit alarmed. “I’m sure we could work something else out, if you’d like. A handshake, perhaps?”

Max still looked confused and Magnus felt like he was about a second and a half away from spontaneous combustion by embarrassment. Just as he was about to call the whole thing off with the excuse that he’d had one glass of sangria too many, Max’s arms wrapped around Magnus’ neck and he laid his head against his shoulder. “Thank you for making my brother so happy.”

Magnus hugged him back tightly. “It’s my pleasure, Max.”

**Author's Note:**

> i’m so nervous — i haven’t posted anything i’ve written in a really long time because i’m so out of practice. 
> 
> constructive criticism is always welcome!


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